Washing machine

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure discloses a washing machine, including a washing drum, wherein the washing drum is a water accommodating drum during washing; a balance ring, arranged above the washing drum; and a sealing structure, configured to prevent water from overflowing from a space between the washing drum and the balance ring. The washing drum disclosed by the present disclosure achieves an expansion effect; at the same time, the sealing structure is arranged between the washing drum and the balance ring to prevent that the water overflows out of the washing drum from the space between the washing drum and the balance ring, and after a long time, the water may splash to corrode a washing machine case body or other components, or cause a short circuit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure belongs to the field of washing machines, andspecifically relates to a washing machine.

BACKGROUND

A washing machine is designed as an apparatus driven by electricity towash clothes. Generally, the washing machine includes: a drum, used foraccommodating washing water; a rotating drum, rotatably mounted insidethe drum; and a pulsator, rotatably mounted at the bottom of therotating drum; a motor and a clutch, configured to rotate the rotatingdrum and the pulsator; and a balance ring, arranged on the top of therotating drum and configured to supplement the weight and to keep abalance when the rotating drum rotates. When the rotating drum and thepulsator are rotated in a state that clothes and a detergent areintroduced into the rotating drum, the pulsator agitates the washingwater together with the clothes introduced into the rotating drum,thereby removing stains from the clothes.

In order to increase the washing capacity of the washing machine, alarger rotating drum is needed. In other words, the height or diameterof the rotating drum needs to be increased. If the rotary drum has alarger size, the drum that accommodates the rotating drum and a housingthat accommodates the drum also need to be enlarged as the size of therotating drum increases. The increase of a housing corresponding to theappearance of the washing machine is limited by a space of a region inwhich the washing machine is placed. The space for placing the washingmachine in a general user house is limited, and the purpose ofincreasing the capacity of the washing drum through increasing the sizeof the housing of the washing machine is not realistic. Therefore, howto increase the capacity of the rotating drum without enlarging the sizeof the housing of the washing machine becomes a major problem fordesigners. The invention of a holeless washing drum solves the problemof capacity expansion. The drum is eliminated or decreased. The rotatingdrum is used as a washing drum accommodating washing water and isconfigured as the holeless washing drum.

When the washing drum rotates at a high speed, water in the washing drumclimbs up along the wall of the washing drum under the centrifugal forceand is discharged until it reaches a drainage port disposed at an upperend. A part of the water will continue climbing up to the balance ringconnection part and overflow out of the washing drum from the balancering connection part. After long-time of usage, the overflowing washingwater may corrode a case body housing and other structures, and cause ashort circuit.

In view of this, the present disclosure is provided.

SUMMARY

The technical problem to be solved by the present disclosure is toovercome the shortcomings in the prior art, and provides a washingmachine.

To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the basic idea of thetechnical solution of the present disclosure is that:

The present disclosure aims to provide a washing machine, including:

a washing drum, wherein the washing drum is a water accommodating drumduring washing;

a balance ring, arranged on the top of the washing drum; and

a sealing structure, configured to prevent water from overflowingbetween the washing drum and the balance ring.

In a further solution, the sealing structure is arranged between thewashing drum and the balance ring.

In a further solution, the balance ring is provided with a mountingpart; an upper end of the washing drum is provided with a fitting partfitted with the mounting part; and the sealing structure is arrangedbetween the mounting part and the fitting part.

In a further solution, the mounting part includes an annular bulgeradially protruding from the side wall of the balance ring; the fittingpart includes an annular groove matched with the annular bulge; and thesealing structure is arranged between the annular bulge and the annulargroove.

In a further solution, the washing drum further includes a waterretaining part arranged below the annular groove and configured tonarrow a gap between the washing drum and the balance ring to retainwater; a water collection cavity is formed by the washing drum, thewater retaining part and the balance ring; and the water collectioncavity is configured to collect rising water.

In a further solution, the washing machine further includes a drainagestructure; the drainage structure includes a dewatering passage which isarranged on an outer wall of the washing drum, communicates with thewashing drum and is configured to drain water thrown out by the washingdrum; and a water inlet end of the dewatering passage is arranged at thetop of the washing drum.

In a further solution, the water inlet end is arranged on the watercollection cavity below the water retaining part.

In a further solution, the water retaining part is a necking part formedby retraction from an outer side to an inner side of the washing drum.In a further solution, an upper end of the necking part extends to aperiphery to form a supporting part for supporting the mounting part ofthe balance ring; the supporting part extends upwards to form anaccommodating part surrounding the mounting part of the balance ring;and an upper end of the accommodating part is inwards flanged to form afixing part for fixing the mounting part of the balance ring.

In a further solution, the supporting part, the accommodating part andthe fixing part together form an annular groove with an inward opening.Preferably, all corners formed by the necking part and the annulargroove are rounded corners.

In a further solution, the sealing structure is arranged between thefixing part and the annular bulge.

In a further solution, the sealing structure is of a flat sheetstructure. Preferably, a friction coefficient of a fitting surfacebetween the sealing structure and the annular bulge is larger thanfriction coefficients of other surfaces.

In a further solution, the sealing structure is an annular sealing ringwhich is squeezed between the washing drum and the balance ring and hascertain deformation, or the sealing structure is an annular sealant.

Through application of the above technical solutions, the presentdisclosure has the following beneficial effects compared with the priorart:

1. According to the present disclosure, the sealing structure isarranged between the washing drum and the balance ring to prevent waterfrom overflowing out of the washing drum between the washing drum andthe balance ring, and, a washing machine case body or other componentscorroded by the splashing water after a long time usage, or a shortcircuit is avoided.

2. The washing machine of the present disclosure further includes thewater retaining part and the water collection cavities which areconfigured to stop part of the washing water from overflowing from thespace between the washing drum and the balance ring, and collect thewater and facilitate discharging the water out of the washing drum fromthe water inlet end.

3. The washing drum is a holeless washing drum, which provides a spacefor expansion of the washing machine.

The specific implementations of the present disclosure are furtherdescribed below in detail in combination with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute as a part of the present disclosure, and areused to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure.Illustrative embodiments and descriptions thereof of the presentdisclosure are used to explain the present disclosure, and do notconstitute an improper limitation to the present disclosure. Obviously,the drawings described below are only some embodiments, and thoseskilled in the art can obtain other drawings according to these drawingswithout paying any creative work. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a washing machine of thepresent disclosure; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagram of part A of FIG. 1.

In the drawings: 1, washing drum; 101, fitting part; 102, waterretaining part; 103, water collection cavity; 104, water inlet end; 2,balance ring; 201, mounting part; and 3, sealing structure

It should be noted that these drawings and text descriptions are notintended to limit the conceptual scope of the present disclosure in anyform, but are to describe the concept of the present disclosure to thoseskilled in the art with reference to the specific embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages ofthe embodiments of the present disclosure clearer, the technicalsolutions in the embodiments will be described clearly and completelybelow in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The following embodiments are used to describe the presentdisclosure, but not intended to limit the scope of the presentdisclosure.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted thatorientations or positional relationships indicated by the terms “upper”,“lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “inner”, “outer”,etc. are based on orientations or positional relationships shown in thedrawings, and are only used for the convenience of describing thepresent disclosure and simplifying the description, rather thanindicating or implying that a designated apparatus or element must havea specific orientation or must be constructed and operated in a specificorientation, so that they cannot be understood as limitations to thepresent disclosure.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted thatunless otherwise explicitly stipulated and defined, the terms “mounted”,“connected”, and “coupled” shall be understood broadly, and may be, forexample, fixedly connected, or detachably connected, or integrallyconnected, or mechanically connected, or electrically connected, ordirectly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediatemedium. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand the specificmeanings of the above terms in the present disclosure according tospecific situations.

Embodiment I

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the present embodiment provides a washingmachine, including:

a washing drum 1, wherein the washing drum 1 is a water accommodatingdrum during washing;

a balance ring 2, arranged at the top part the washing drum 1; and

a sealing structure 3, configured to prevent water from overflowingbetween the washing drum 1 and the balance ring 2.

In the above solution, the washing machine of the present embodiment isnot provided with an outer drum. The washing drum 1 is used as a wateraccommodating drum, and the washing drum 1 is an inner drum which isprovided with dewatering holes only in an upper part and provided withno holes in a middle part and a lower part. During dewatering, washingwater climbs up to the dewatering holes along a drum wall under theaction of a centrifugal force, and is then discharged out of the washingdrum 1. Generally, the balance ring 2 is arranged on the top part of thewashing drum 1 of the washing machine. The balance ring 2 and thewashing drum 1 are mounted together in the later stage instead of beingintegrated, so that a water flow climbing up along the drum wall underthe action of the centrifugal force may overflow from a mounting gapbetween the washing drum 1 and the balance ring 2 and splash all overunder the action of high-speed rotation, and after a long time, thewater flow may splash to corrode a washing machine case body or othercomponents or cause a short circuit.

The sealing structure 3 is provided in the present disclosure to preventwater from overflowing from the space between the washing drum 1 and thebalance ring 2.

Further, the sealing structure 3 is arranged between the washing drum 1and the balance ring 2.

In the above solution, the sealing structure 3 is arranged between thewashing drum 1 and the balance ring 2 to achieve a better sealingeffect, and is fixed more easily. Compared with a sealing structurearranged on an outer side of the washing drum 1 or the balance ring 2,the sealing structure 3 of the present disclosure has a better sealingeffect.

Further, the balance ring 2 is provided with a mounting part 201. Anupper end of the washing drum 1 is provided with a fitting part 101fitted with the mounting part 201. The sealing structure 3 is arrangedbetween the mounting part 201 and the fitting part 101.

In the above solution, the balance ring 2 is mounted on the top part ofthe washing drum 1 through mutual fitting of the mounting part 201 andthe fitting part 101. The sealing structure 3 is arranged between themounting part and the fitting part to achieve the better sealing effect,and the sealing structure 3 is easily fixed. Therefore, the phenomenonthat the sealing structure cannot continue to achieve the sealing effectbecause of easy breakage or separation from an original position underexternal force or after long-time use is avoided.

Further, the mounting part 201 includes an annular bulge radiallyprotruding from the side wall of the balance ring 2; the fitting part101 includes an annular groove matched with the annular bulge; and thesealing structure 3 is arranged between the annular bulge and theannular groove.

In the above solution, the annular bulge is provided to facilitate theinstallation of the balance ring 2. Of course, an inwards sunken recessmay also be selectively arranged on the side wall of the balance ring 2and used as the mounting part 201. However, arrangement of the recessmay affect the size and the intensity of the balance ring 2 and reducethe balance effect, so that in the present application, it is preferredthat the mounting part 201 includes the annular bulge protruding fromthe side wall of the balance ring 2.

Further, the washing drum 1 further includes a water retaining part 102arranged below the annular groove and configured to narrow a gap betweenthe washing drum 1 and the balance ring 2 to retain water; a watercollection cavity 103 is formed by the washing drum 1, the waterretaining part 102 and the balance ring 2; and the water collectioncavity 103 is configured to collect rising water.

In the above solution, the washing drum 1 further includes the waterretaining part 102. The water retaining part 102 narrows the gap betweenthe washing drum 1 and the balance ring 2, and when the water flow risesto the water retaining part 102, a part of the water is blocked fromreaching the annular groove and overflowing, via the inside of theannular groove, out of the washing drum 1. Thus, a sealing pressure ofthe sealing structure 3 is reduced. The water collection cavity 103narrows the gap between the washing drum 1 and the balance ring 2 due tothe existence of the water retaining part 102, so that a higher pressureis required when the water passes through the water retaining part 102,and most of the water is collected.

Further, the washing machine further includes a drainage structure. Thedrainage structure includes a dewatering passage which is arranged on anouter wall of the washing drum 1, communicates with the washing drum 1and is configured to drain water thrown out by the washing drum 1; and awater inlet end 104 of the dewatering passage is arranged on the toppart of the washing drum 1.

Further, the water inlet end 104 is arranged on the water collectioncavity 103 below the water retaining part 102.

In the above solution, the water inlet end 104 is arranged on the watercollection cavity 103, so that boosted water in the water collectioncavity 103 can more easily enter the dewatering passage from the waterinlet end 104 and is then discharged.Further, the water retaining part 102 is a necking part formed byretraction from an outer side to an inner side of the washing drum 1.

Further, an upper end of the necking part extends to a periphery to forma supporting part for supporting the mounting part 201 of the balancering 2; the supporting part extends upwards to form an accommodatingpart surrounding the mounting part 201 of the balance ring 2; and anupper end of the accommodating part is inwards flanged to form a fixingpart for fixing the mounting part 201 of the balance ring 2.

Further, the supporting part, the accommodating part and the fixing parttogether form an annular groove with an inward opening. Preferably, allcorners formed by the necking part and the annular groove are roundedcorners.

In the above solution, the supporting part is a bottom surface of theannular groove. The accommodating part is a side surface of the annulargroove. The fixing part is a top surface of the annular groove. Theaccommodating part can accommodate the mounting part 201 and limit aradial movement of the balance ring 2. All the corners formed by thenecking part and the annular groove are rounded corners. The roundedcorners can prevent operators from being cut in a mounting or carryingprocess and also prevent damage caused by sharp corners to the balancering, and can further avoid damage, in a rotating process, to otherpipelines and elements in the washing machine at the same time.

Further, the sealing structure 3 is arranged between the fixing part andthe annular bulge.

In the above solution, the sealing structure 3 can be arranged betweenthe supporting part and the annular bulge, or can be arranged betweenthe accommodating part and the annular bulge, or can be arranged betweenthe fixing part and the annular bulge as mentioned in the presentembodiment. The sealing structure 3 arranged between the supporting partand the annular bulge is subjected to an extra pressure from the balancering 2, so that the sealing structure 3 is easy to break, and isinconvenient to install below the annular bulge. The sealing structure 3arranged between the accommodating part and the annular bulge issubjected to radial squeezing force provided by the washing drum 1 andthe balance ring 2 during rotation of the washing drum, so that thesealing structure 3 is easy to break. The sealing structure 3 arrangedbetween the fixing part and the annular bulge is subjected to a minimumpressure and thus unlikely to break, and is convenient to install andeffective in sealing.

Further, the sealing structure 3 is of a flat sheet structure.Preferably, a friction coefficient of a fitting surface between thesealing structure 3 and the annular bulge is larger than frictioncoefficients of other surfaces.

In the above solution, the sealing structure 3 is of the flat sheetstructure because the flat sheet structure is not prone to curl,displace or deform during rolling and flanging of the fixing part.Generally, the sealing structure 3 is of the flat sheet structure. Thefriction coefficient of the fitting surface between the sealingstructure 3 and the annular bulge is larger than friction coefficientsof other surfaces, so that the sealing structure 3 is not prone tomotion or curling during rolling and flanging of the fixing part.

Further, the sealing structure 3 is an annular sealing ring which issqueezed between the washing drum and the balance ring and has certaindeformation.

Embodiment II

In the present embodiment, the difference from Embodiment I is that thesealing structure 3 is an annular sealant which is squeezed between thewashing drum and the balance ring and has certain deformation.

Embodiment III

In the present embodiment, the difference from Embodiment I is that thewater retaining part 102 is an annular convex part arranged on the innerside of the washing drum 1. The upper surface of the annular convex partand the top of the washing drum 1 flanged inwards to form an annulargroove with an inward opening of the fitting part 101 of the balancering 2.

Embodiment IV

In the present embodiment, the difference from Embodiment I is that theannular groove is an annular groove outwards sunken from the inner sideof the washing drum 1, and does not include the water retaining part102.

A lower surface of the annular groove is a supporting part forsupporting the mounting part 201 of the balance ring 2; the supportingpart extends upwards to form an accommodating part surrounding themounting part 201 of the balance ring 2; and an upper end of theaccommodating part is inwards flanged and rolled to form a fixing partfor fixing the mounting part 201 of the balance ring 2.

The sealing structure 3 is arranged between the fixing part and theannular bulge.

The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the presentdisclosure, but are not aimed at limiting the present disclosure in anyforms. Although the present disclosure is disclosed above by thepreferred embodiments, the preferred embodiments are not aimed atlimiting the present disclosure. Any person skilled in the art can makesome changes by using the above-mentioned technical contents or modifythe technical contents as equivalent embodiments of equivalent changeswithout departing from the scope of the technical solution of thepresent disclosure. Any simple alterations, equivalent changes andmodifications that are made to the above embodiments according to thetechnical essence of the present disclosure without departing from thecontents of the technical solution of the present disclosure should allfall within the scope of the solution of the present disclosure.

1. A washing machine, comprising a washing drum, being a wateraccommodating drum during washing; a balance ring, being arranged on anupper end of the washing drum; and a sealing structure, being arrangedbetween the washing drum and the balance ring, and configured to preventwater from overflowing from a space between the washing drum and thebalance ring.
 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein thebalance ring is provided with a mounting part; the upper end of thewashing drum is provided with a fitting part fitted with the mountingpart; and the sealing structure is arranged between the mounting partand the fitting part.
 3. The washing machine according to claim 2,wherein the mounting part comprises an annular bulge protruding radiallyfrom a side wall of the balance ring; the fitting part comprises anannular groove matched with the annular bulge; and the sealing structureis arranged between the annular bulge and the annular groove.
 4. Thewashing machine according to claim 3, wherein the washing drum comprisesa water retaining part arranged below the annular groove and the waterretaining part is configured to narrow a gap between the washing drumand the balance ring to retain water; a water collection cavity isformed by the washing drum, the water retaining part and the balancering; and the water collection cavity is configured to collect risingwater.
 5. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the washingmachine further comprises a drainage structure; the drainage structurecomprises a dewatering passage which is arranged on an outer wall of thewashing drum, communicated with an inside of the washing drum and isconfigured to drain water thrown out by the washing drum; and a waterinlet end of the dewatering passage is arranged on the upper end of thewashing drum.
 6. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein thewater inlet end is arranged on the water collection cavity below thewater retaining part.
 7. The washing machine according to claim 4,wherein the water retaining part is a necking part formed by recessedfrom an outer side to an inner side of the washing drum.
 8. The washingmachine according to claim 7, wherein an upper end of the necking partextends towards a periphery to form a supporting part for supporting themounting part of the balance ring; the supporting part extends upwardsto form an accommodating part surrounding the mounting part of thebalance ring; an upper end of the accommodating part is inwards flangedto form a fixing part for fixing the mounting part of the balance ring.9. The washing machine according to claim 8, wherein the supportingpart, the accommodating part and the fixing part together form theannular groove with an inward opening.
 10. The washing machine accordingto claim 1, wherein the sealing structure is an annular sealing ringwhich is squeezed between the washing drum and the balance ring and hasa deformation.
 11. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein thewashing machine further comprises a drainage structure; the drainagestructure comprises a dewatering passage which is arranged on an outerwall of the washing drum, communicated with an inside of the washingdrum and is configured to drain water thrown out by the washing drum;and a water inlet end of the dewatering passage is arranged on the upperend of the washing drum.
 12. The washing machine according to claim 3,wherein the washing machine further comprises a drainage structure; thedrainage structure comprises a dewatering passage which is arranged onan outer wall of the washing drum, communicated with an inside of thewashing drum and is configured to drain water thrown out by the washingdrum; and a water inlet end of the dewatering passage is arranged on theupper end of the washing drum.
 13. The washing machine according toclaim 8, wherein the sealing structure is arranged between the fixingpart and the annular bulge.
 14. The washing machine according to claim8, wherein the sealing structure is of a flat structure; a frictioncoefficient of fitting surfaces between the sealing structure and theannular bulge is larger than friction coefficients of between othersurfaces of the sealing structure and the annular bulge.
 15. The washingmachine according to claim 9, wherein all corners formed by the neckingpart and the annular groove are rounded corners.